Philip S. Bovee’s skeptical and sweetly sarcastic opinion that the special session was a indeed legislative emergency

“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”

Many cite Mark Twain, others — probably more correctly — attribute the quote to lawyer Gideon Tucker.

Whoever first uttered this observation about legislative action, history has consistently proven the conclusion correct.

Nonetheless, this year Nevada held an extra legislative special session. This encore session was held to address issues of such pressing urgency, that debate and decision couldn’t wait for the next regular meeting of our dedicated sausage makers.

The Special Session was labeled a legislative emergency. So, away the politicians went to Carson City for an autumn gathering to get elbow deep in emergency management and manipulation of messy pork bellies, herbs and spices in service to We The People.

One emergency addressed was the distribution to movie moguls of $1.8 billion in tax credits from the pockets of Nevada taxpayers. The Nevada Republican state chairman argued the bill, “could add jobs and diversify the local economy.” The R-J reported that the handouts don’t start until 2028, but the Republican leader highlighted the urgency: “… the time for this is NOW.” (emphasis in the original) Despite the critically urgent need for a film factory in Vegas, the measure failed at the special session.

Another emergency that didn’t get enough votes to go to the governor’s desk was a bill restricting homeowners from selling to corporations.

But our elected representatives didn’t ignore every emergency. They weren’t just sitting around sipping pumpkin lattes and watching the northern Nevada leaves change. The Assembly and the Senate did agree to let voters decide if our state constitution should protect the inalienable right to vote by mail. A criminal justice bill was passed that included an amendment to put a stop to ICE raids in classrooms across the state. Our legislators were so perceptive that they addressed an emergency that nobody else in Nevada even knew existed. Well, maybe the ACLU.

So, our representatives were fully engaged this fall, fighting emergent brush fires that threaten our beloved state. Although the legislators’ actions would, no doubt, make any first responder facing a life-and-death emergency proud, some wonder why these pressing matters weren’t resolved last spring during the regular session.

In fairness to our representatives, they were busy with bills that they thought held greater importance. One example is SB-160, which clarifies that anti-discrimination laws include protection for hair texture. It passed.

Another is AB-48 — which sought to protect providers of surgical procedures that attempt to change a patient’s gender. AB-48 passed the Assembly and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Lombardo.

So, as you can see, our elected representatives weren’t just sitting on their thumbs in Carson City last spring. They were fully engaged in making some wacky woke wieners. The regular session’s failure to subsidize billionaires with billions, prevent undesirables from buying houses in Nevada, and clearing non-existent ICE from school sidewalks may have been negligent, but we shouldn’t be too hard on the lawmakers, given the plethora of pork piled on their plates.

Perhaps another special session is needed.

Las Vegas students are being run over in frightful numbers by motorists — 180 this year and four dead. The passed crime bill includes provisions on school zone traffic safety, and a recent grant of $10,000 has been given to address this REAL danger — far more deadly than ICE. But how many crosswalk escorts or traffic patrols could we get for $1.8 billion?

Another special session could even give the rejected emergency film studio measure another shot.

Maybe it’s not much of an emergency — but who can deny that it would be great to stroll in Downtown Summerlin and spot Brad Pitt.

Philip S. Bovee is an attorney and writer who has lived in Pahrump since 2023.